This forum is for volunteer reviews by members of our review team. These reviews are done voluntarily by the reviewers and are published in this forum, separate from the official professional reviews. These reviews are kept separate primarily because the same book may be reviewed by many different reviewers.

[Following is a volunteer review of "The Girl Who Knew Da Vinci" by Belle Ami.]

4 out of 4 stars
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The Girl who knew Da Vinci
By Belle Ami

Renaissance is a dream era for people. There seemed to be a vast historical happening during that period which have shaped the world today. Majority of the priceless things we have at this point in time are products of a fruitful renaissance. The Girl Who Knew Da Vinci is a one stop shop for flashbacks and adventures from the past, present, and future. The author managed to create a beautifully crafted piece of art compiled to make one great masterpiece of love and mystery. Definitely, the past is a chest filled with treasures of all kind.

Belle Ami’s The Girl Who Knew Da Vinci, revolved around the protagonist, Angela Renatus, and her episodes of blackout which opened the possibilities of time travel and shifting of personas. She works as an intern at the Getty museum under a man who is the exact reason for women’s cry for justice in the workplace. Angela is an ordinary woman who through her time travel encountered a Leonardo da Vinci painting which have been missing for decades. It is then up to her and her new found comrade, Alex, to find this priceless possession. Is it really true then that what Angela knows could kill her? The answer awaits all readers.

The author has brought readers into the past where the wonderful time of renaissance and era of legends and arts existed. I myself, delve into the time machine and enjoyed a meet up with a very rare time from history. I had an amazing time wandering around the streets of Florence. The descriptions are vivid that I felt I was in there with the characters.

The book cover often speaks a thousand words. Without even looking at the summary or the review, a lot of notions are already buzzing inside my mind. The Girl Who Knew Da Vinci appeared to have a likeness with the famous Dan Brown book, The Da Vinci Code. Not only the front cover but the title resonates a connection with the Dan Brown series which makes this book a curious one to read and at the same time, it is a great marketing strategy.

I appreciated the fact that it appeared to be patterned to the stories of Dan Brown as they are catchy and it sparks questions. However, surely this book has its own twists. It is quite interesting to watch the character of Angela shift from one identity to another and have Alex watch her undergo the process. That is one plot which made the story of this book unique on its own.

On the other hand, it was not all about solving mysteries but there was a romance story scattered within its depth. It is actually common for the protagonist to fall for the male lead, however I did not actually mind that part as Angela’s situation made her less fictional. Her vulnerable side at moments portrayed her need of a knight and shining armour. That made her more human like and relatable. I give positive points for citing the concerns woman actually face in the workplace. Belle Ami did a good job ensuring her protagonist is actually grounded on the realities women are facing today.

There is a lot of positive response for this book. I give this book a score of 4 out of 4 star rating. I couldn’t recommend it more. It is a suitable book for mature readers who are into mysteries and romance. It can also be for those who are historically inclined however there are certain points of caution for young audiences. The amazing writing skills of Belle Ami and the story this book holds deserve to be shared to other readers. If you enjoyed chasing the Illuminati’s and the mysteries of the past in Dan Brown’s series, surely you’ll find your heart racing and thrilled as you chase time in this book, probably much more. Find missing paintings, solve mysteries and experience love along the way with The Girl Who Knew Da Vinci.

I read this one too and had a completely different response. I thought the art history mystery plot was weak, since the puzzle wasn't really solved by historic research but through Angela's unrealistic past-life regressions/spirit possession. For a supposedly intelligent and strong woman, Angela comes off like a damsel in distress who cannot control her insatiable desire for sex. And I would never call this a romance. It's more of a lust novel. But I enjoyed your review. I think it's good to read other people's perspectives.